Ideas that I bring with me in 2015 (from 2014) #2 - Boss of my social media streams-Unfollowing food trigger photos and food descriptions
My take away :Surfing those waves of food thoughts, I have to minimize my exposure to food photos and descriptions on the internet. I have to be BOSS about my social media streams.
The Positive: Now the thing that is one of my God given gifts is Photography.
The Reality: The thing that is a gift can also be triggering for me around food photos and descriptions, so I had to be very honest and tough around subscribing to Pinterest, Facebook and even Feedly when bloggers were describing binges.
My recovery from a life long food addiction requires that I not dabble in old food cycles. Just like an alcoholic would not go and walk by the bar or hang out in one AND they would find new friends who do not "use".
1. Unfollowing tirggering Food Photos on Pinterest: Sometime in 2014, Pinterest changed their programming for a while and "suggested" pins and pinners.That was a disaster in my brain! I couldn't believe my eyes.
No, no, no, oh HECK NO. Because I subscribe to weight maintainers on Pinterest thought I should see their moderate eating, bakery posts. I make it a priority not to follow all boards on each person I follow. May be inspirational, maybe paleo/primal recipes.... but I unfollow if there's lots of cookies and cupcakes.
Now my pinterest boards looks more like this:
2. Unfollowing Facebook pages I like due to a constant stream of baked Paleo dessert foods.
Ditto with Instagram
Just as jarring as the food photos on Pinterest.... The awesome Paleo bloggers who have great content but I just cannot follow them because of their constant stream of Paleo cookies, brownies, cakes...
No, just no. I still visit these bloggers, and share their non food or meat dishes. One in particular has great, researched based articles and I share them. Awesome, valuable work. The info is great, but SAD food porn is not, in my opinion. Another has awesome meat recipes.
One of them admitted "It's our team that posts these, not us, do you think that we eat these all the time?"
My own answer: To be honest: I don't blame these posters for posting their Paleo-fied treats. Many times it's their source of income. And they do get lots of blog traffic (sex sells and so do Paleo cookies!) I get it. But I dislike the subsequent posts of "I try so hard and I still can't lose the weight/have good health... "____insert whiny problem here....
Dudes and Dude-ttes, Paleo bloggers or not, look at processes. Look at choices that result in what you are putting in your body. There's a direct connection between health out comes and what you choose to put in your body. Direct connection.
Paleo or not: Own your answers = own your processes = own your own health outcomes. Banish the whine and victim mode. It might be right for you, just no whiny posts if you are into paleo or low WW point treats. Cheat DAY, week, month? and circling around the same problems? Okay, fix it or move ON! Glad to be off that merry-go-round. Be honest and BOSS about it.
What works for me:
Unfollowing Paleo Treat bloggers and googling their non junk food information as needed.
Also, this thought from Jason Seib: "Don't bring your SAD diet with you into your new habits!"
3. Unfollowing bloggers describing food binges and planning food binges in super large detail:
Sorry- NO, not sorry about this one. It's me, not you. Yes, I know that food porn is part of the disease. And I sincerely hope these bloggers find wellness.
I know that many people moderate junk food and do well. Yeah, they do, but as well as it makes them, it causes me to be in the disease.
I worked and work hard to remain food sober. Time is limited. If I were a recovered alcoholic, I would find a group of friends outside the bar. Well, hello, my name is Karen P and I'm a recovered food addict..... I'll be spending my time on things accepting I can change about myself, and letting go of things I can't.
What works for me: Keeping my train on the tracks
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| Keeping my train on the tracks |
2. Totally changing my old junk food moderating ways.
3. Using my god given talent- photography.
What didn't work in the past:
1. Keeping photos of dessert food around in the way of recipes, magazines, and not being BOSS of my environment. Following others who were also "using food".
2. Not removing junk food.
3. Using my camera to take photos of cookies!!! Whut?!
Question: How about you? What internet changes have you made now that you've made changes in your diet? Can you also spot others decent back to old habits. It's tougher to watch than I thought it would be. I've had to get more "BOSS" with social media than I ever thought.
I have done the same thing with the blogs I follow and look at. I can't even look at certain websites or magazines. I have to avoid places and situations when I'm not strong with my wellness. But I also have to avoid diet websites and diet magazines or very diet restrictive bloggers because there is a part of my food addicted self that buys in to all that thinking and reading and planning about food. I am blissfully not at all interested in certain foods or places lately. I'm also writing myself a letter to be opened next Thanksgiving and Christmas time because I am still not 100% effective in managing those periods of time with increased food focus. It's always good to read about how you manage your food addiction and it shows you blog because you care.
ReplyDeleteThanks, PJ... I figured I wasn't alone. I have to cover the cover of my food addiction books because they have... well trigger foods on them. I 'm guessing I could take data on bloggers on years 1-3 social media streams and predict those who would maintain their weight loss and those who would re-gain most of their weight. Sad but true.
DeleteHere's to figuring out what works for you. :)
I am really enjoying these posts, Karen! Like you, it is hard to read bloggers who can keep weight offs with moderate diets and who post pictures of their meals from nice restaurants or post pictures of their dinners. It only makes me want that food. I have realized there is only a small number of bloggers (including you) who are "tough, not moderate," in the word of Dr. B. so I constantly look to you and those few others for advice and tips.
ReplyDeletePS I love the picture of you sitting with your coffee cup. You look so young
Thanks, Ali. OMG... I was the ultimate food junkie when I used to surround myeslf with Cooking Light cookie and brownie and WW junk food recipes. Oooooh. Hurts my brain thinking of it.
DeleteThanks on the photo. I love that one. It was taken at a restraruant where I used to binge eat but now eat Paleo-ish. Man hole sized pancakes, indeed! Now eggs and avocados and coffee!
Ack... My iPad is messing up! I wanted to add that you look so young and vibrant--and petite!
ReplyDeleteThank you!!
DeleteSuch a good plan. While I am not a Paleo dieter, I have some boundaries that I have set, and if I want to keep going with weight loss, I have to mind them. Also, I am constantly tweaking. For example, I take away anything that seems to have set me off balance and toward eating too much sugar, chocolate, restaurant food, etc. I think it's hard for a person who has a food addiction to remain completely moderate. I am veering to less moderation and tighter boundaries when it comes to food. Funny how our tact changes as we get further into something...I believe it has to.
ReplyDeleteE.Jane- yes, the further I went into weight loss, the more boundaries. I was embarrased how many WW/Cooking light cookbooks I had collected. Sometimes I would make the veggie dishes, but most of the time my food addict brain was at work looking for the next best lightened cookie/bar/dessert recipe to get a food high from... sigh.
DeleteI agree, moderation and food addiction is rare. With Dr. Tarman stating in her book and in interviews that up to 40% of obese and 6-10% of normal weight have some degree of food addiction. What that means to me is a whole lot of people need to hear that's one tool for brain/body recovery. That the cycle will continue wihtout abstaining from the trigger food.
Well, nobody wants to hear that message.... it's all about eat what ever, calories in calories out, will fall over onto their faces and never stand up right again without a special cookie recipe.... trust me... I was falling onto my face moderating that stuff.
Nobody who is food addicted will have an easy time of abstaining- sugar and grain withdrawals are a b*tch-IMO, and learning to soothe without food is very hard. I have one copy of the extra grhelin gene. If I had two copies, I'd likely benefit from an obesity drug along with abstaining. You are so right about tighter boundaries. I do think that evolving into the solution
Something being very hard is not un-do able but those hoping for a normal weight are going to have to put in the physical and mental pain along with possibly some good pharmaceuticals to get to a better place. Neither processed sugar nor grains are required for human life. On the other hand food addiction kills many over time- IMO. Nobody wants to hear that either- it's more of a chronic thing and quality of life.
Oh, you can see more blog posts to follow in my comments... it's never easy... Thanks for stopping by the blog and I wish you all the success in finding what works for you. :)
I am with you Karen. I stopped following The Paleo Mom, Diane Sanfilippo and many other Paleo bloggers as I didn't want to expose myself to all the treats as once in a while I get tempted to make them "for the family"...... I also get too preoccupied with food with all the recipes. KISS is best. That's why I love your blog. You do post a good real food recipe once in a while and it's always good.
ReplyDeleteOh Rina, I hear you. I love the Paleo Mom's way of explaining the science. And I enjoy the Balanced Bites podcast... but the cookie/brownie feeds... no way, no can do. If it's an occasional recipe or photo, no problem.
DeleteI think it was Stacy of Paleo Parents who said in a podcast that it was their team who posted the constant Paleo-fied junk. I know their team works under their direction... so.... I know their team figured it out- Paleo Cookies posts gets lots of hits. Probably lots and lots of book sales too. Sigh. Those people are young. Post Auto-immune disease, post menopuase, whole different world.
I expect to see people simliar to me at PaleoFx 2015 in my age group and situation Really. I could eat a ton of WW junk food in my 30's. Now that I'm almost 49, not so much.
I always am very thankful that from the very start of this journey, over 2 years ago, I never fell into the allure of the paleo-friendly desserts syndrome. Never. Ever. Finding others like you who agree, have most certainly help, as well.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Gwen, I think paleo desserts work for the people for whom moderation and not re-gaining the weight works well. I do think that there is a tendency to not be able to step back- look at the paleo-fied junk food and say- well, this just doesn't serve me or my goals anymore.
DeleteIt's good have the clarity of thinking! Onward.
Great post Karen, firing on all cylinders, I think the saying is, but it's said with feeling and it shines through ......
ReplyDeleteThanks
All the best Jan
As always, thank you Jan!
DeleteI try to be very careful with food posts/pics (although I do pin quite a few food pics for the plan I follow), and one of the people I think of first is you! I know I have to be very careful about what I fill my eyes/brain with (and not just in regards to food), so I do a lot of unfollowing in a lot of places. Keeps me happier and healthier.
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy your blog posts!